Big East Power Rankings heading into Week 11 of the college football season:

1. Louisville (9-0, 4-0). The offense has essentially caught up to the defense in Charlie Strong’s program—with both units ranking third overall in the Big East—and sophomore quarterback Teddy Bridgewater’s ever-evolving play suggests the Cardinals’ ceiling isn’t yet in view.

2. Rutgers (7-1, 4-0). The Scarlet Knights should be over the blahs that were brought on by their loss at home to Kent State last time out. They still control their destiny in the Big East race. Before the season-ending Cincinnati-Pittsburgh-Louisville gauntlet comes what had better be is an easy one vs. Army on Saturday.

3. Cincinnati (6-2, 2-1). There aren’t many routine 100-yard rushers in college football who have lower profiles nationally than Bearcats senior George Winn. Cincy’s run game is best in the league and the main reason this team has a great shot at 10 wins.

4. Syracuse (4-5, 3-2). The Orange seem to be good for at least one shocker of an upset every season. The past two seasons, their biggest upset wins came over West Virginia. It could be Louisville’s turn at the Carrier Dome on Saturday.

5. Pittsburgh (4-5, 1-3). Our hearts ache for Kevin Harper, who missed the 33-yard kick in double-overtime that would’ve given the Panthers an epic win over Notre Dame. And, frankly, we wonder how this team will carry on after that crushing disappointment, without much opportunity left to make its season special.

7. USF (3-6, 1-4). Too many penalties, too many B.J. Daniels interceptions, not enough turnovers created by the defense … there are many negatives to look at with these Bulls. But they don’t quite speak to the sense of hopelessness that surrounds a pretty talented team that’s about begin its home stretch with a visit to Miami after this week’s bye. It’s just a bad scene in Tampa that needs to change in a big way.

8. Connecticut (3-6, 0-4). It must be an ugly mismatch in practice every day between the first-team defense and the first-team offense. This O-line opens no holes in the running game and does a terrible job of protecting the quarterback. A Big East title-caliber defense has gone completely to waste in 2012.